1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of eyeware and eye protection devices. More specifically the present invention relates to a folding visor and case apparatus for eyeglasses including two substantially rigid side panels, a substantially rigid sun shield panel extending between the side panels and a linkage panel assembly connecting each side panel to an end of the sun shield panel. The side panels each have eyeglass arm attachment means so that the eyeglasses and the visor apparatus can be operationally interconnected to open and close in unison. When opened, the apparatus deploys the sun shield panel outwardly and over the eyeglass lenses to function as a visor, and when closed the apparatus envelopes the eyeglasses to function as a protective case. The linkage panel assemblies taken in conjunction with substantially rigid sun shield and side panels are a key inventive feature of the apparatus, because they provide full sun shield panel deployment, entirely out of the direct field of vision of the wearer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been a variety of eyeglass visor designs created over the years. Cassel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,321, issued on Sep. 10, 1996, teaches a visor and case device for use in combination with eyeglasses. Cassel includes a bill portion constructed of two overlying layers of flexible material that form a pocket for receiving a folded pair of eyeglasses. The visor is generally U-shaped, and is curved downwardly at each side to define an upwardly arched middle sun shield portion and two integral temple covering side portions. An upright slot is provided in each side portion to receive and pass an eyeglass arm. As a result of the longitudinally curved and vertically arched elongate shape of the visor, pivoting the visor side portions outwardly by opening the eyeglass arms raises the bill portion. Pivoting the visor side portions inwardly by closing the eyeglass arms against the lens frame lowers the bill portion to toward the lenses. A problem with Cassel is that the continuous and uniform side portion and bill portion construction limits the extent to which the bill portion can deploy outwardly and rise through the action of opening the eyeglass arms. The Cassel bill portion deforms together with the rest of the device during deployment and remains partially within the wearer direct field of vision. Furthermore, the provision of a pocket for the eyeglasses suggests that the protective coverage achieved by folding by folding Cassel is inadequate.
Some prior devices include visors which removably fit onto or around eyeglasses, but which do not double as protective cases. Garbutt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,667, issued on Oct. 1, 1995, reveals a sun visor for attachment to a pair of eyeglass arms. Garbutt includes a bill member formed of a flat, rigid stiffening member having a concave inner edge and convex outer edge and which is covered by fabric. Two elastic loops protrude from each end of the bill member for snugly receiving eyeglass arms to mount to the visor. Landis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,573, issued on Aug. 7, 1990, discloses a visor and shield devices attached to eyeglasses. Landis includes a crescent-shaped visor having ports at its ends for engagingly receiving eyeglass arms so that the visor protrudes outwardly over the eyeglass lenses. An upright transparent face shield is also provided, having upwardly projecting tabs which engagingly fit into slits along the visor forward edge, so that the face shield hangs from the visor.
Burns, U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,453, issued on Aug. 19, 1986, reveals an eyeglass visor and case. The Burns device is similar to that of Landis, except that the visor is constructed of two layers of material defining between them a pocket for receiving the folded eyeglasses. A problem with Burns is that the wearer first must remove the device from the eyeglass arms before folding the arms, and then must place the folded eyeglasses into the visor pocket. Furthermore this procedure must be reversed to deploy the visor. Carr, U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,529, issued on May 19, 1992, reveals an eyeglass visor and retainer device. The Carr device is a visor of pliable material having a series of slits on each side through which eyeglass arms are woven.
Other prior devices include protective side panels with eyeglass arm passing slots, but do not incorporate sun visor portions. One is Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,119, issued on Aug. 16, 1994 for an eye protector device including a foam rubber-like resilient insert member. Gardner includes what are essentially goggles in which eyeglasses fit, so that the eyeglass lenses align with goggle lens ports. The resilient insert member has lens apertures and fits between the eyeglass frame and the goggles to seal around the lenses and between the goggles and the wearer face. As a result, only minimal amounts of air can pass between the eyeglass frame and the goggles. The wearer eyes are shielded from wind, snow and rain, and yet the minimal air reaching lenses allegedly keeps them from fogging. Griffin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,269, issued on Feb. 14, 1995, discloses an eye shielding apparatus. Griffin includes two temple area shield members which are manufactured as a single piece and separated for use along a frangible line. Each shield member has a series of eyeglass arm passing slots for snug fitting around an eyeglass arm, and shield member end segments for bending inwardly toward the nearest lens to more fully cover the lens peripheral area.
Tatar, U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,682, issued on Apr. 5, 1994, reveals an eyeglasses storage and protection device that can secure eyeglasses to the head of the wearer. Tatar includes a flexible pouch for receiving and storing the eyeglasses, with pouch closure means. Flexible strip portions extend from opposing ends of the pouch and have elastic end loops. When the eyeglasses are removed from the pouch for use, the pouch is coiled around its longitudinal axis and fastened into the spooled configuration, and the free end of each eyeglass arm is fitted snugly into one of the end loops. Then the device serves to secure the eyeglasses by wrapping around the back of the wearer head so that they do not fall forwardly off the wearer face. A problem with Tatar, like Gardner and Griffin, is that it does not provide a sun shielding visor function.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an visor apparatus for eyeglasses which removably attaches to the eyeglasses and which also functions as a protective carrying case.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which converts from a visor to a carrying case automatically, by wrapping around and unwrapping from around the eyeglasses, as the wearer folds and unfolds the eyeglass arms.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus in which the sun shielding portion pivots outwardly into its functional position as the eyeglass arms are opened, to an extent that the sun shielding portion is substantially perpendicular to and elevated above the eyeglass lenses for full and unobstructed vision through the lenses.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is durable, compact and inexpensive to manufacture.